Supermarket Sweep for Dromona Extra Mature
Asda polls local cheddar as NI’s favourite in Customer Choice Award
Gayle Connor, Dale Farm and Brian Conway, ASDA.
Dromona Extra Mature was the runaway winner of the Asda poll attracting over 45% of the total vote. It was a close race for second, third and fourth place with local products Tasty Food’s Chicken Curry Pie, Irwin’s Softee and McCann’s Breakfast Juice placing respectively.
The cheddar, produced by dairy company Dale Farm at its Dunmanbridge Creamery in Cookstown, was launched into Asda stores earlier this year, having initially been produced as a showcase cheese for the highly contested World Cheese Awards. It was chosen by Asda’s expert local sourcing team as a worthy competitor for the Customer Choice Award, alongside the three other local products.
Brian Conway, Asda Northern Ireland buyer said, “We have worked closely with Dale Farm since our arrival here in 2005, and are always impressed with the great taste, freshness and quality of its products. Dromona Extra Mature is a commendable winner and I speak for the whole Asda local sourcing team in offering our congratulations to Dale Farm, as well as to the other local suppliers who were shortlisted for the award and polled great support from the NI public.”
“We are very proud of the quality of our local suppliers, and with the opening of our flagship store in Antrim last week and our new store in Larne this month are pleased to offer more opportunities than ever for local producers to showcase this quality.”
Gayle Connor, Dromona brand manager for Dale Farm said, “Dromona Extra Mature has gained global recognition winning Gold at the World Cheese Awards and having been presented as a platform product on a Washington trade mission – but winning the Asda Customer Choice Award is really the jewel in the crown of this success story. For local people to recognise the quality of our products means a lot to us, and working with retailers like Asda we are dedicated to maintaining this quality going forward.”
The Asda Customer Choice poll featured at the Asda marquee during this year’s Balmoral Show as part of a wider celebration of Asda’s commitment to the local Agri-Food sector.
For further information please contact Kelly McKee/ Declan Mellan/Claire Bonner at Morrow Communications on 02890 393837
About Asda Stores Ltd.
Founded in the 1960s, Asda today is one of Britain’s leading retailers. It has over 170,000 dedicated Asda colleagues serving customers from 374 stores, including 24 ASDA Living stores, 23 depots and eight recycling centres across the UK (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). It has its main home office in Leeds, Yorkshire and its George clothing division based in Lutterworth Leicestershire. Asda serves over 18 million shoppers a week in store and its growing home shopping business serves over 97 per cent of UK homes. In Northern Ireland Asda has been operational since 2005 and currently has 15 stores province wide, employing around 4500 colleagues.
